Senior Islamic Jihad officials in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

An Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by leader Ziad Nakhala, met on Wednesday in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Palestine Al-Yawm website, which is affiliated with the organization, said that the talks between the sides focused on the US “Deal of the Century” and on Palestinian unity. They were described as “positive” and “profound”.

The representatives of the Islamic Jihad expressed their firm opposition to the “Deal of the Century”, which they said strives to “eliminate the Palestinian problem, as well as to give up Jerusalem, the West Bank and the right of return of refugees.”

They emphasized that “the Palestinian people will never give up their historical rights and national principles,” and that the path to restoring national unity lies in building a source of national authority under the Beirut agreement of 2017.

Russia rejected the “Deal of the Century” shortly after it was made public, saying of its provisions “do not fully correspond to the relevant resolutions by the UN Security Council”.

The Islamic Jihad delegation’s visit to Russia comes more than a week after Palestinian Arab media first reported that Nakhala had been invited to Moscow.

Nakhala visited Iran a year ago, where he met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani who told him that “resistance and fighting the usurper Zionist regime” is the only way for Palestinians to gain their rights.

The Islamic Jihad leader also met with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who predicted that Palestinian Arabs will eventually “establish a government in Tel Aviv” and added, “Palestine will remain powerful and the Palestinian nation’s final victory will take place in near future with the grace of God.”

The Islamic Jihad, much like Hamas, has enjoyed support from Iran. In 2016, Iran pledged to provide $70 million in annual assistance to terror group’s “jihad” against the State of Israel.

Source: INN